Orange County school reports monkeypox case
The district said someone at Wedgefield School, a K-8 school in Orlando, is sick with monkeypox.The county’s health department alerted the district Tuesday night about the case, and families and staff at the school were made aware in a message sent Wednesday.District officials said the person hasn’t been on campus since last Wednesday. The individual is being told to stay home until they are cleared to return. Officials said the campus has been sanitized.A total of 2,300 cases of monkeypox have been reported in Florida since the beginning of the year. Most are still in South Florida, but Orange County has reported more than 200 infections. Seminole and Osceola counties have the next highest case counts in Central Florida with 27 and 26 cases respectively.While the health department says the threat to the general population remains low, some local doctors say the lack of testing and vaccines is making the outbreak worse.Cases in young children make up a very small percentage of the overall cases. Still, doctors and pediatricians say parents should still take caution.”It can be a lot more severe in children. They can end up with more severe infections. They can end up with pneumonia. They can end up with encephalitis. Also, it can be transmitted from moms to their fetus,” said local pediatrician Dr. Matthew Seibel.Doctors say the most common way a child could contract the disease is if someone else in their household tests positive.The best way to protect them? Avoid exposure.”If you don’t need to hug someone who is sick, don’t,” Seibel said.
The district said someone at Wedgefield School, a K-8 school in Orlando, is sick with monkeypox.
The county’s health department alerted the district Tuesday night about the case, and families and staff at the school were made aware in a message sent Wednesday.
District officials said the person hasn’t been on campus since last Wednesday. The individual is being told to stay home until they are cleared to return.
Officials said the campus has been sanitized.
A total of 2,300 cases of monkeypox have been reported in Florida since the beginning of the year.
Most are still in South Florida, but Orange County has reported more than 200 infections.
Seminole and Osceola counties have the next highest case counts in Central Florida with 27 and 26 cases respectively.
While the health department says the threat to the general population remains low, some local doctors say the lack of testing and vaccines is making the outbreak worse.
Cases in young children make up a very small percentage of the overall cases. Still, doctors and pediatricians say parents should still take caution.
“It can be a lot more severe in children. They can end up with more severe infections. They can end up with pneumonia. They can end up with encephalitis. Also, it can be transmitted from moms to their fetus,” said local pediatrician Dr. Matthew Seibel.
Doctors say the most common way a child could contract the disease is if someone else in their household tests positive.
The best way to protect them? Avoid exposure.
“If you don’t need to hug someone who is sick, don’t,” Seibel said.
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